Become a Volunteer

When Samaritan’s Purse responds to a disaster, we rely on volunteers like you to bring hope to hurting families.
Fill out the sign up form below.

Donate Online

By donating to Australian Disaster Relief, you are partnering with all of our relief efforts across the country. Click here to give a gift today.

Church Partnerships

The local church has an important role to play following a disaster. We work together to bring hope. Click here to find out more.

Spread the Word

Search @SP_ANZ on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube to stay up to date with our relief work. Or browse our resources here.

Join Our Team

When you volunteer with us, you can help Australians recover after devastating disasters, such as floods, bushfires and cyclones. If you have a heart to serve others in Jesus’ Name, then we have a place for you! Complete the expression of interest form below to receive alerts about upcoming responses and volunteer opportunities.

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Finding Joy in Serving

FAQs

To learn more about our relief projects, how to get help or volunteering, contact us on 1300 884 468 (AUS) or 0800 726 274 (NZ), or email disasterrelief@samaritanspurse.org.au.

Volunteers assist homeowners with tasks such as possession recovery, mud-outs (after flooding), ash sifting (after fires), tree cutting, debris removal, yard cleaning, and more.

No, anyone can volunteer! We provide all the training that you need, then pair you with trained and experienced leaders to facilitate your volunteer experience.

Volunteers may be as young as 14 years, however all youth aged 14-17 require parental permission and must work alongside a parent, responsible group leader or legal guardian. Youth volunteers are also restricted from performing certain tasks due to safety reasons.

If youth-aged volunteers are serving with you, please notify Samaritan’s Purse  Head Office in Australia to receive a copy of our policy, special instructions and other paperwork specific for youth.

Yes! We accept both individuals and groups for most of our projects.

If you would like to register a group to volunteer, please indicate this when you sign up and a Volunteer Coordinator will contact you. We welcome church, youth, school, organisation, corporate and other types of groups who wish to volunteer, however group numbers may be limited depending on the size of the project and worksite.

We encourage people to participate for at least one full-day to have the opportunity to get to know homeowners and fellow volunteers, however half-days are possible for local volunteers. Many of our volunteers participate from one to two weeks.

Yes, we typically will provide basic dorm-style accommodations at our host church base for volunteers who have registered through our Sydney office. Space may be limited per disaster site. You may need to bring a pillow, sleeping bag and air mattress or cot (if desired). Everything you need to bring will be outlined in an orientation package that you’ll receive before you depart.

You are responsible for your own transportation to the disaster response location and any incidentals during your stay. We take care of the accommodation, team meals and safety gear for you as you serve.

We cannot typically accommodate parking or hook-ups for caravans, however you are free to book in a caravan park at your own expense. Once you’ve signed up, a Volunteer Coordinator will be able to provide more information regarding accommodation options per site.

No, Samaritan’s Purse will provide all the tools you need. If you have tools you’d like to bring, please enquire beforehand.

We provide personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, safety glasses, etc. You will need to bring your own sturdy, closed-toe footwear or work boots. We also recommend hat, sun protection and long pants/sleeves.

The safety of our volunteers is important to us! All volunteers must complete a site safety induction prior to serving on any Samaritan’s Purse site which will include site safety rules, emergency procedures, and hazard mitigations while working. Volunteers will serve under a group team leader to provide additional safety oversight and instruction on the work site. Volunteers complying with safety requirements are insured for accidental injuries while serving with Samaritan’s Purse.

Most of the disaster clean-up activities require some basic level of physical mobility such as moving and lifting. However, there are non-physical support tasks that volunteers can also provide to serve disaster survivors and our team. If you have concerns about physical constraints limiting your ability to work, please share that with our team when you apply.

No, Australian Disaster Relief volunteer teams are only engaged directly following a major disaster event, or during the recovery and clean-up process for 1-3 months following a disaster.

Current volunteer opportunities will be displayed on this site when available. We recommend signing up for our Volunteer Alerts to be notified by Samaritan’s Purse when disaster relief opportunities become available.

Stories from the Field

Australian Disaster Relief

Responding to Floods in the Illawarra, NSW

9 May 2024

During April, record rainfall across the coast of NSW caused landslips and overwhelmed creek and river systems.
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Australian Disaster Relief

Storms Hit Gold Coast Pastor’s New Home

8 February 2024

Pastor Marshal and his wife purchased a new home with hopes of using it for ministry. But less than a month later, the property was hit by a tornado on Christmas Day.
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Australian Disaster Relief

A Ray of Hope After the Storm

25 January 2024

Glenda and Peter found themselves facing an unexpected trial after the Christmas day storms wreaked havoc on their peaceful home.
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